Covering hay

[Walkin Horse]

I got my first loads of hay yesterday and man does it look good. The last couple of years I have been buying it from a guy who would haul it to me when he finished cutting. Sometimes it looked good and sometimes not. But this last year it was full of leaves, thorns, johnson grass and broom straw with the feathers.
The new hay is from a old timer who seems to know what he's doing. He wants it right and the customer happy. This is the first time buying hay that I feel good about it.
Some years I have stacked it on pallets Some years I have tried covering it. Today I cut some pine poles 20' and laid them in pairs 2' apart and laid the bales on them My tractor will straddle them and I dont have to put down and pickup pallets.
Now my question is, at what point should I cover it. Will it hurt to cover it now while the heat is still in it or wait and hope for no rain or cover on bad days and uncover on good days (pita). I have had mix success covering before and I really hate to ruin this and waste it. One time I stacked two layers high and it molded really bad where the bales were touching. What is the right way to store it outside.

 

[biker4jc]

So far my best experience storing hay outside is set it all up like you want it then build a pole barn around it. That usually works out pretty good :thumbsup: Of course that could be cost prohibitive ............ so if the hay is dry 18% or less I cover mine with a way to let air get all around the bales so ground moisture won't collect and ruin the hay. Something like stack pallets beside, and on top to add ventilation.

 

[bsrfarms97]

in my opinion I think there are alot of variables to how soon you cover hay. ive noticed that when I cover hay that I baled with a higher humidity in the air I have more spoilage than if humidity is down. to be on the safe side I always left my uncovered for a few days after I rolled it. if it was dry and humidity was low when its baled you can cover it as soon as you want. thats when the moisture in the bale should be below 18%. then I stack mine tight and stack 3 rolls on bottom two in the middle and 1 on top. then I cover with a good tarp that comes halfway down the bottom bale and leave both ends open. its important to keep the tarp completely tight so water cant stand on any of it.

 

[rtimgray]

This is my opinion, and my opinion only, but I feel that if hay is putting off enough heat that it can't safely be covered, it was rolled/baled too soon with too much moisture. Yes, I've known of folks who had their barns burn down because they stacked it full of hay. Sure, there are bound to be circumstances where it is preferable to bale the hay a little wet for fear of it getting even wetter (i.e. rain's coming tomorrow). But in general, if I don't think it is dry enough to stack in the barn the day I bale or roll it, I'm not going to bale/roll it unless the weather dictates such.

If you are afraid of it getting too hot, I would just let it set in the open uncovered until you're comfortable covering. I'm assuming its rolls of hay, given your description of storing it on poles, and a good roll should shed rain water pretty good, so it won't absorb much if it gets rained on a couple of times.

Good luck and take care.

 

[Walkin Horse]

I checked this morning before I left and it didn't have the heat it had Tues. So I will start covering this weekend.
I have tried stacking it to save room but it seems to mold where it cradles. I got 40 bales so far and need another 110. Hope this weather we are having holds out. Last night north of here in Richmond there was terrible storms but nothing 25 miles south.

 

[Tx Jim]

This is my opinion, and my opinion only, but I feel that if hay is putting off enough heat that it can't safely be covered, it was rolled/baled too soon with too much moisture.

AMEN BUDDY. It amazes me the people that pyramid & stack rows of rd bales with the sides touching. Rd bales if baled correctly by a good baler & if stacked correctly will SHED WATER!!!!!

 

[Walkin Horse]

Is it okay to shove the end tight together. I leave 2 or 3' between rows

 

[Tx Jim]

If hay was baled at correct moisture content(IMHO 15%<) then butting bales end to end tightly with rows spaced 1+ ft apart slows spoilage. Another rd bale storage MISTAKE I've seen my neighbors commit is storing rd bales under trees.

 

[tcreeley]

If hay is producing heat after it is baled- baled too early. It will begin to mold over the winter and get dusty.

 

[Tx Jim]

If hay is producing heat after it is baled- baled too early. It will begin to mold over the winter and get dusty.

Hay baled at correct moisture(around 15%)will go through a heat cycle. The heat cycle gives the hay a good,sweet odor that animals like.

 

[tcreeley]

I am not sure that hay baled in Texas is the same hay as that baled in New England- different humidity, conditions. I'm speaking of square bales. Never worked with round bales. I've read that some folks use driers when they make hay down south. Hay when it is square baled always has a sweet fresh smell off the field. Over time it loses that in the barn. Animal here will always go for the fresh hay. When a month later or in the middle of the winter you open a bale and find leaves sticking- baled too wet - and that turns dusty.

 

[Tx Jim]

Baling hay at too high moisture content gets one the same results no matter if it's in Texas or Maine. Hay at above acceptable moisture content ends up being moldy/mildewy/rotten.

 

[Apollo1]

I thought cutting some hay and just stacking it loose in barn how would that work ?

 

[Tx Jim]

I thought cutting some hay and just stacking it loose in barn how would that work ?

That's fine if moisture content is correct. Farmers stacked loose hay in barns before balers were invented.

 

[Apollo1]

How do I check for moisture content gauge by atmosphere or what ?

 

[Tx Jim]

I've owned one of these digital hay moisture testers for over 20 yrs. Moisture Meters | Moisture Testers | Delmhorst Instrument Co.

 

[Xfaxman]

If hay was baled at correct moisture content(IMHO 15%<) then butting bales end to end tightly with rows spaced 1+ ft apart slows spoilage. Another rd bale storage MISTAKE I've seen my neighbors commit is storing rd bales under trees.

What is wrong with storing round bales under trees?

 

[whistlepig]

I thought cutting some hay and just stacking it loose in barn how would that work ?

In a loft or on the ground? Stacking it loose is a good idea. Gives room for the the hay to breath and cure. You can salt the hay if questionable on curing if in a loft. Covering hay that is curing? My goodness who came up with that idea?

 

[Tx Jim]

What is wrong with storing round bales under trees?

Tree leaves concentrate the rain drops on the bale and after bales are wet the shade from the leaves causes the bales to dry slower or not at all.

 

[Tx Jim]

In a loft or on the ground? Stacking it loose is a good idea. Gives room for the the hay to breath and cure. You can salt the hay if questionable on curing if in a loft. Covering hay that is curing? My goodness who came up with that idea?

I agree. If I happen to bale rd bales at a little above 15% trying to beat a shower I will not butt the bales together but leave a space between all the bales